Primary schools take-over Borough Market to sell their own produce for a good cause

Primary school children took over Borough Market last week to sell fruits and vegetables which had been grown in their school gardens.

The young entrepreneurs sold just under £600 worth of their own produce at this year’s Young Marketeers annual Summer Sale, which took place on Thursday.

The sale saw pupils sell their school-grown rhubarb, tomatoes, lavender, herb bunches, plus salsas, pickles and pastes.

Schools involved in this year’s Summer Sale included Phoenix Primary School, Belvedere Junior School, Alderbrook Primary School, St James’s CE Primary School, Harris Primary Academy, Peckham Park, St Peter’s Primary, St Margaret’s CE Primary and Greenside Primary School.

For the first time since the programme began in 2011, proceeds from the sale were donated to Plan Zheroes,  a food redistribution charity that collects quality surplus food from businesses and redistributes it to charities supporting vulnerable people across the capital. 

Chris Wilkie, Co-Founder of Plan Zheroes, said: “We are really happy to have been selected as the new charity partner of the Young Marketeers Programme, working with Borough Market and School Food Matters, and are very grateful to them for organising the fundraising for Plan Zheroes.

“It was so inspiring to meet the young people taking part when we attended some of their school assemblies. It is very encouraging to see how aware and knowledgeable they are about environmental and sustainability issues.”

The Young Marketeers Programme is hosted by Borough Market and has been run by School Food Matters for 13 years. 

Children who take part in the programme grow their own fruit and vegetables at school, before selling their produce to the public. 

Through the programme, children learn about where their food comes from, how to eat seasonally and are taught about nutrition and how to cook.

Jane Swift, chief executive at Borough Market, said: “I find the Summer Sale to be such an uplifting event every year. 

“Seeing young people engage with members of the public with such pride for the produce they have grown, is a clear reminder of how important this programme is and the benefits it has for our young community.”

To date, the partnership with School Food Matters has seen more than 240 schools attend trader training. 

Some students have grown their own fruit and veg and sold it at the Market, while others have made soup from seasonal produce. Over the years, more than £13,500 has been raised for charities, providing over 75,280 meals for vulnerable families.

Stephanie Slater, founder and chief executive at School Food Matters, said: “At Borough Market, the local community comes together to celebrate the children’s hard work and entrepreneurial skills by buying their freshly grown fruit and veg. 

“We want every child in every school to enjoy quality food education, and for this to happen the subject must be given the attention and resources it deserves.”

To find out more about the Young Marketeers Programme, watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwq2M1pH1ig

Pictured top: The Young Marketeers annual Summer Sale (Picture: School Food Matters)